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A THOUSAND MILES FROM LAND. 
Several poets have described this bird ; but Barry Corn- 
wall's spirited lyric is the finest and most descriptive poem 
on the Petrel with which we are acquainted : — 
A thousand miles from land are we 
Tossing about on the roaring sea, 
.From "billow to bounding billow cast, 
Like fleecy snow on the stormy blast ; 
The sails are scattered about like weeds, 
The strong masts shake like quivering reeds, 
The mighty cables and iron chains, 
The hull, which all earthly strength disdains. 
They strain and they crack, and hearts like stone, 
Their natural hard proud strength disown. 
Up and down ! up and down ! 
From the base of the wave to the billow's crown, 
And amidst the flashing and feathery foam 
The stormy Petrel finds a home ; 
A home, if such a place there be 
For her who lives on the wide, wide sea, 
On the craggy ice, in the frozen air, 
And only seeking her rocky lair 
To warm her young, and teach them to spring 
At once o'er the waves on their stormy wing ! 
O'er the deep ! o'er the deep ! 
Where the whale, and the shark, and the sword-fish sleep, 
Outflying the blast and the driving rain, 
The Petrel telleth her tale in vain, 
For the mariner curseth the warning bird 
Who bringeth him news of the storms unheard. 
Ah! thus does the prophet of good or ill 
Meet hate from the creatures he serve th still. 
Yet he never falters. So, Petrel, spring 
Once more o'er the waves on thy stormy ^ang. 
